Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-15

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

Mrs Barrett, an English-speaking woman who lives in your town, has advertised for someone to help her in her home for a few hours a day next summer.

Write a letter to Mrs Barrett. In your letter

• suggest how you could help her in her home
• say why you would like to do this work
• explain when you will and will not be available

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Mrs Barrett,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Mrs Barrett,

Hope you are doing well. I am writing to response in your advertisemnt that you tae looking for a helper only for one day at your home. I am happy to assist you for few hours according to your requirement.

Last sunday, I noticed your advert in newspaper for someone to help you. To begin with, the physical fitness level, I am able to do any kind of work includes heavy lifting. Moreover, I did work as a volunteer many times in my town and I feel comfortable to do work at a home as well.

Furthermore, I prefer flexible working hours which is more convenient. Whenever I have enough time I usually help my mother in her household chores. Therefore, I have an experience and I can easily manage any kind of work. I can easily communicate with you because my english proficieny is good. Overall, I think that these all qualities make me a good candidate as per your need.

In addition, I am available from monday to friday because on saturday and sunday, I work part-time in a gym as a trainer. I would appreciate it if you could consider my application and respond to me.I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Harman

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the main purpose by offering help, explaining relevant experience and giving weekday availability. The examples of helping your mother and volunteering support your suitability. However, the task asks how you could help in Mrs Barrett’s home, and “any kind of work” and “heavy lifting” do not specify practical household duties. Your reason for wanting the work is also not clearly explained: preferring flexible hours is a preference, rather than a reason for applying. The opening says she is looking for help “only for one day,” which conflicts with the advertisement’s few hours a day next summer. Clarify the duties you can do, why the opportunity appeals to you, and the exact dates or times you are unavailable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The letter has a recognisable structure, with separate paragraphs for your experience, motivation and availability, and it follows an appropriate opening and closing format. The reader can generally follow your main points. However, progression is uneven: the paragraph beginning “Furthermore” moves from flexible hours to helping your mother, then to English ability and general suitability, so several ideas are grouped without a clear link. Connect each point directly to the task and use paragraphing to distinguish your proposed duties, reasons for applying and schedule. Linking phrases such as “To begin with,” “Moreover,” and “In addition” help signal sequence, but some feel mechanical or do not show the relationship between ideas. Clearer references and more purposeful transitions would make the letter easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use a range of relevant vocabulary, including “volunteer,” “household chores,” “part-time,” and “available,” which helps communicate your experience and schedule. However, several noticeable spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “advertisemnt,” “proficieny,” and “I am writing to response.” Some phrases are also unnatural or too general for a formal application, such as “any kind of work” and “as per your need.” Choose specific household tasks and use conventional application language. Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations, for example, “respond to your advertisement” and “I have experience with household chores.” These changes would make your vocabulary more accurate and natural while retaining the relevant range already attempted.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more developed sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “because” and “Whenever,” and most of the message remains understandable. However, errors occur in basic sentence patterns and verb forms, as in “I am writing to response” and “I am able to do any kind of work includes heavy lifting.” There are also problems with articles and countable nouns in “for few hours” and “I have an experience,” as well as agreement in “working hours which is more convenient.” Capitalisation and punctuation need attention too: “Last sunday” and “monday” should be capitalised, and there is no space after the full stop in “me.I.” Practise accurate clause construction and proofread sentence endings and agreement.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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